Self-cleaning spray head



Feb. 28, 1933.

E. G. MUNZ SELF CLEANING SPRAY HEAD Filed NOV. 18, 1929 Xiwel G. M509ATTORNEY/8' Patented Feb. 28, 1933 umflilafovL STAfT ES? off:

Application meuf lNmfembr 18, 192'92 serial Nb? 4085er?? This'inventionrelates generally to sprayV headszadapted for use'in sprinkling systemsJfor lawns and the like, and is particularly V`applicable in "systemswhere the spray headsV tare permanently installedin the ground to'benormally flush Vwith the' surfacejtfhereof.

One of `the' essential objects `of Ithe invention'lis to'provide aself-cleaning spray head; in which the' spray forming velements of -the04inozzle are washed and cleansed by the waf- 5" tling f'element's isrigid withthe. nozzle and the other spray formingelement 1s separable"204'lin which'the movable spray forming element is normally spacedxfromthecooperating ele.I ment and is movable'to andfrom'the said"elementbyfluid under pressure and by grav ter'fsupply l-looth before:and after a spray has beenprojected.therefrom;A

Another obJeot ris to yprovide Va spray head fof-this type in which` oneof the sprayfformfromthe first-mentioned element andi's movable fre'elywith'respect to the 1vnozzle. Y

A further Objectis to provide a spray headI `ity.' f y lVithvthe aboveandother objects in viewtheinvent'ion consists of certain novel eafFigure yl is: a vertical sectionalview` througlil'a `spray l'headVembodying my inven- `tion and showingthenozzleyplug and cover inraisedfposition;

Figure 2is a view similar to Figure 1 with the nozzle5plug and cover 1n4normallowered position; 4

Figur-e3 is a `view sinnlar to Figure y1 but showing'a slightly modifiedconstruction;

Figure 4 is a. section on the linefl---fl1 of Figure '2.V Y

Referring now to the drawing, 1 is a cas-A 5 ing of tubular formation,'preferably buried 'in the ground and havinga lateral 'flange l2 v' tt'11 f1 'hrw'th-the e .i il at lts upper'end Subs an la y us l f 6 areflushed yfree fromanyfd1rt` thatmayif= upper surface of theground, 3 isa pipe con'L necte'dto theI casing lat the `lower end there# 50 ofand-adaptedto supply/water under pres` sure' from a suitable source' lt@ the vcasing;v 4.

operates with the serrations" 513" to form `Va serls of smallho1es1throug'h`whichthe 'waterr valso preventsithe plugfrompassingupwardly through the Vvorifice'.VV Normally 'the' nozzle 4 is inythercasing" 1 adjacentfitsfflowe yfend'v .is al noZfZle slidablelongitudinally ofthe'cas- 'I ingaandfhavingiawater Vdischarge'orifice 5in 1t s*fupperfendf;v6 is a plugfrinovablelongituf' din-ally ;of thnozzle 4 and adapted* to be lrefy ceived' in rthe?orifice,7 isvalecovei' for the casi553? mgl and'noz'zle;andl 8 isvan intermediatestem extendingthrough'-thelorifioe 5 and ter` mii-rally-` :onnectedtolthe plug 6 and =cover7. p As showr1,*the` easing vl is provided at'its5 upper end'with aninwardly extendingvanf'ol" Vnularwflangef orshoulder9 and is provided just above fthis'flange'with an annular up-y4wardlyA :opening reces`s"10.' The' 4nozzle -4 is 'tubular ini form Landhas 'a ylateraliian'geor slioulder, 11 'at 'its lower endzforengagement"655 with'trheA {ia-nge 9 ofthe vcasing to limit vupwardmiovement offthe nozzle. 4I The orifice* 5 is substantiallyfrustroe-conical'inform and` has "its restricted vend 12 iupperst. H'Prefs extending longitudinallyxof its 'sidewalls' and` isadaptedtoreceive thexplg. Y

When -forced upwardly by .rwate'r pressure the plug 6A seats withinVfthe' orifice .5 `and Vois sprayed'. Thisengagementof the'rustr-xlconical-'plug 6l with theserrations `onthe inclined walls of thefrustro-conical orifice and "the cover 7 is in ftherecess' 10." Howeverf.relative to the nozzl'el 4 1 d u Y A s When the water isp`turnedfoffl'the `plu"`g6"1 5v drops down, and the vseri"ations13 andhave collected f thereon while nozzle't` in operation.l Thus the.oriliee and plug 6` constituting the spray forming elements '-f" 100 thenozzle are cleaned both before and after a spray is projected therefrom.

In Figure 3 I have illustrated a slight modification in which the casing20 serves as the nozzle and is provided at its upper when the water isturned on it will Vunseat the cover 24 and in doing so will flow overand wash the serrations 25 and the Walls of the" orifice 22. When thepressure is sufiiciente ly strong'to force the plug 26 within theorifice 22 water will then be projected in spray form from between vsaidparts, and when the Wateris turned off'the plug 26 will drop andlthezserrations 25 and vwalls'of the Lorifice will be flushed free ofdirt that may have collected thereon while the nozzlewas in operation.

Likewise the saine. effect may be accome Bozplished, even though thewalls of the orifice.

were cylindrical in shape. The plug then, of course, would becylindrical too and some other. .means for. preventing theplug. frompassing through the orifice would have to be c provided.V AThis might beaccomplished by means of lugsorrsome other similar devicesv on thevinner 'portion ofthe nozzle.v

IVhile it is believed that from the foregoing description the'natureandadvantages .of the inventionwill be readily apparent, I desire tohave'it understood that I do not limitfmyself to what is `herein shownand described and 'that such changes may be resortedlto when desired asfall Within `th 45 Iscope of what is claimed. r Y l What I claim asmyinvention is.:

l. A spray head comprising two relatively movable spray-formingelements, one of said elements v having an orifice and the other of saidelementsl having a plug adapted to fit. ywithin said orifice, the wallsof said orifice andl plug being substantially parallel,

one of said walls having serrations formed: therein to cooperatewithnthe` other wall to c sub-dividel the fluid, into a series offinelyV dividedstrea'ms land means for closing said orifice vrwhen thewater pressure'is removed,

said ineansbeing out of the path` of said fina' l`elements are in` lyvdivided streams when sprayforming position. y y

-'2.ji5f'devicefor irrigating large areas comprising fa kcasing having aconical discharge orifice, a plugwithconical walls parallell to thewalls ofv said orificesaid plug being arranged within'said'casing andadapted to bev moved from a position remote froms'aid ori# fice into aposition within said orifice by fiuid pressure and serrations in one ofsaid conical elements at the point of discharge from said device forsubdividing the discharged fluid into a series of finely dividedstreams.

3. A device for'irrigating large areas comprising a casing having aconical discharge orifice, a plug with kconical Walls parallel to thewalls of said orifice arranged within said casing and adapted to bemoved into said orifice by fluid pressure, said plug having a series ofclosely spaced serrations therein at the point of' discharge from saiddevice cooperating With said orifice to sub-divide the discharged fluidinto a series of finely divided streams, said plug being movable out ofsaid orificeto exposes-the serrations thereon to lflushing action.

4. A device for irrigating large areas comprising a casing having aconical discharge orifice, a plug with conical walls arranged parallelto the walls of said orifice, said conical discharge orifice having aseries of closely spaced serrations formed therein, saidk plug beingnormally spaced from said serratedorifice to permit the flushing of saidserrations but its conical walls being movable into closely spacedrelation with said serrated orifice by fluid pressure, therebycooperating with said serrations to laterally discharge ya series offinely divided streams.

5. A device for irrigating large areas-comprising a casing having aconical discharge orifice, aplug with conical walls parallel to thewalls of said orifice, said plug being arranged w'ithin said casing andadapted to be moved from a position remote from said ori ficeintoa'position within said orifice by Vfluid pressure and closely spacedhelicallyiinclined lserrations in one of said conical elements at thepoint of discharge from said device for sub-dividing the dischargedfiuid into a series ofvfinely divided streams. e

6. A' devicefor irrigating large areas comprisinga casing'having aconical discharge orifice, a plug with conical walls parallel tothewalls of said orifice arranged Within said casing and adapted to bemoved into said orifice by fluid pressure, said plug having a series ofclosely spaced helically inclined serrations vtherein at. the point ofdischarge from said device cooperating with said orifice to subdividethe discharged fluid into a series of finely dividedstreams, said plugbeing movable out ofsaid orifice to expose the serrations thereon vtoflushingA action.

7. A device for irrigating large areas comprising aY casing having aconical discharge orifice, a plug with conical walls arranged parallelIto the walls ofsaid orifice, said conical discharge orifice having aseries of closely spaced, Vhelically inclined rations formed therein,said plugL being normallyspaced from said lserrated orifice to permitlthe flushing vof said serrations but'y serf being movable into closelyspaced relation with said serrated orifice by fluid pressure, therebycooperating with said seri-ations to laterally discharge a series offinely divided streams.

8. A spray head comprising a vertical casing, a nozzle head axiallymovable within said casing and having a vertical discharge orifice withan inwardly and upwardly tapering conical wall, a second axially movablemember within said nozzle head having a pluO' adapted to seat withinsai-d conical orifice by water pressure and to withdraw therefrom bygravity, said plug having a conical wall substantially parallel to saidconical orifice, and helically inclined closely spaced serrations on oneof said conical walls.

9. A spray head comprising` a vertical casing, a nozzle head axialiymovable within said casing and having a vertical discharge orifice withan inwardly and upwardly tapering conical wall, a second axially movablemember within said nozzle head having a plug adapted to seat within saidconical orifice by water pressure and to withdraw therefrom by gravity,said plug having a wall substantially parallel to said conical y orificewall and helieally inclined closely spaced serrations on the wall ofsaid conical orifice cooperating with the wall of said plug to form aseries of finely divided streams.

l0. A spray head comprising a vertical casing, a nozzle head axiallymovable within said casing and having a vertical discharge orifice withan inwardly and upwardly tapering conical wall, a second axially movablemember within said nozzle head having a plug adapted to seat within saidconical orifice by water pressure and to withdraw therefrom by gravity,said plug having a wall substantially parallel to said conical orificewall, helically inclined closely spaced serrations on one of saidconical walls, a stem extending from said plug through said orifice anda cap carried by said stem adapted to seat in said vertical casing andarranged to be out of the path of the fluid when said conical elementsare in spray-forming position.

1l. A device for irrigating large areas comprising a casing having aconical discharge orifice, a plug arranged within said casing andadapted to be moved from a position remote from said orifice into aposition within said orifice by fiuid pressure, said plug having a wallcooperating with the wall of said conical discharge orifice, one of saidwalls having a series of closely spaced helically inclined serrations atthe point of discharge of the fluid from said device, said serrationsbeing adapted to sub-divide the discharged fiuid into a series of finelydivided streams. Y

12. A device for irrigating large areas comprising a casing having adischarge orifice, a plug arranged within said casing and adapted to bemoved from a position remote from said orifice into a position withinsaid orifice by fluid pressure, said plug having a wall cooperating withthe wall of saiddis-`

